Omaha daily bee., 1887-03-13
VIEWS OF TIE VERMON1ER,
Edmunds Interviewed On the Shortcomings
of the Forty-ninth Congress.
THE ADMINISTRATION A FAILURE
He Thinks Cleveland viii he Kcnom.
mated But Refuses TO Talk
About the Republican Nom.
Inee-Capitai News.
Senator Edmunds Interviewed.

NOteS cOluInn 10 al interview WIN senator
Edmunds. lie was asked first what he had
to say relative to the failures of congress.
lie said in substance: zone who has the
welfare of the country at heart must feel dis
appointment at the condition in which pub
lie business has been left. l do not intend to
criticise those who are responsible for the
business nor to apply any epithets. l sup
pose they know the wisdom of their own ac-
tions. Under the constitutions" he said,
''the senate has no right to originate revenue
legislation. The power to collect revenue is
expressly with the house, and Ii Is held, and
properly so, think, that this includes the
power to reduce revenue as well. BY design
or otherwise the house failed to send us any
revenue measure and you can see that We
were helpless. l shall not attempt to locate
the blame. l say merely that for the good of
the country the condition Of affairs Is unfor-
tunate. If m oney should be constantly pill
ing up in the treasury and should not be-
paid out you can see what the
result would be. After while
all the money of the country would be locked
up. There are two theories as to whether it
is best to have a large income and cores
ponding expenditures, Or to have a reduced
revenue. Certainly, however, an accumulat-
ing surplus should be paid out rs far as may
be for proper purposes. 1 am in favor of re-
ducing the revenue of the government, not,
perhaps, to the extent some gentlemen be-
lieye would be proper, but to q considerable
extent" lie referred to the failure of the pro
vision for national defenses and other mat
ters and to the unseemly rush of appropra-
ton bills through the senate at the last mo-
ments of the senate to offset shortcomings
of the house, Speaking with gentle irony
of the senate's yielding to the pressure, ''of
course" he said, they won't do 1t any more.
1t is always so. But they thought it better
to yield than to encounter the supposed evils
of a called session. l did not agree with
them, as you know. think it would have
been more patriotic to have given the bills
proper consideration. allowing them to go
through the regular order, and
If they failed let the responsibility be where
it belonged. When the District apprOpri-
alton bill was signed it was deporable
thing" he said, "but those who are responsi-
bic imposed upon their own executive falsifi-
cation of the record. 1t was not known to
him, believe, but 1t was ten minutes after
12 o'clock on the 4th of March when he
signed tn the District OF Columbia bill dating;it
took their word for 1t and affixed his sigma.
ture. Ii the question should be raised and
the matter taken TO court it would certainly
uCCiuo tildt tIc SIRuutuI6 WhS llltkul anu tn6
bill could not be a law. Notwithstanding all
that has been said to the contrary. there can
be no doubt In the mind of one familiar with
the law that the president has no right to
sign bill after congress has adjourned, IL
he does his signature does not make the bill
q law any more than my signature would.
But he dated this bill the Sd of March. 1
dom. know that that would do. 1t
date was erroneous. BY the correct time it
was one or two minutes to IL o'clock when
the president reached the capitol. Tho sem
ate cIock was set back as everybody knows
did not permit to be done during the time
/ presided whatever, else permitted"
will not all this have an effect on poll-
tcs" asked the reporter.
to fix the responsibility and to correct the
evil. Any man who has the good of the
matte, nation ct heart heart must deplore this manage-
cratic administration, he said: "ln all frank
ness, must say do not think 1t has been q
success. Whatever the desires and inten-
tiOns of those at the head of affairs may have
been 1t has been impossible for them to fol.
low out successful policy with the weight
Of party so cOmpOsed upon their shoulders.
With such broad field OF administration
the president must have others to rely on for
assistance. But placing reliance on his party
must inevitably lead him astray.. With the
tremendous pressure of the party behind him
ne has been forced into numerous errors.
AL pIcSieloutSs pcTH6pb, lhSe ulluo some DAO
appointments, but none, think, have been
betrayed so often as has In party composed
of men who honestly believe that the interest
OF the country demands that they should
their honesty in this opinion who think that
the end justifes the means. The party work.
ers, the men VINO have worked In the wards
and bulldozed and stuffed ballot boxes aud
q public trust. A large percentage of Mr..
Cleveland's appointees have been either in
competent or improper persons, or Deing COM
petent, have been rascals. Some of these men
about them; Others he has appointed upon
the endorsement Of members OF congress of
his own party, who have not hesitated to be-
tray his confidence. with some work table
show an immense proportion of rascals. / do
not say that 1t would amount to a majority,
bnt certainly none Of Mr.. Cleyeand's prede.
both ways "Iie has been pulled both ways,S
the senator continued. "Bctween his civil
service reform pledges and the.party pressure,
sometimes he has appeared to hold to one
seems to stand half way way be between we n''; the tWo NO.
One day he has declared that a good official
who was. a republican should not be dis
turbed. At another time he has yielded to
republlcans still In Office and then we
should give him credit for what he
has done, as in the case OF the preacher who
WAS gOOu IOuT Gays IN tEe week ana went OH
on q lark for two days, we should give him
credit for the good there is in him."
''Do you think the democrats will FenOmi-
nate hiinp" asked the reporter.
"Yes. There is no one else they could run
with any chance of success. They cannot
nominate anyone else and hope to succeed"
would he hold the republican votes he
got befOrep'
"As between two evils they would vote for
him, though he has not lived up entirely to
to what they understood to be his promises.
They may not see how he should have done
better with his party. and they may not see
where they will find man who will do as
"What do you think Of the chances of the
republi can party in 1SSS?'
"BelieviDg that the republican party rep
resents the best principles of government,
and having confidence In the intelligence of
the peOple and their ability to discriminate,
expect tle republicans to be restored to pow.
cr"
"1'hat depends upon the nominee; does 1
nOtY' suggested the Star man.
Yes; but having cOnlidence In the wis
dom in ms. party think 1t will nominate q
good man."
Who are the prominent men now to the
"Ah excuse me. but do not care TO speak
OF that Many things may happen within
two years"